Filament severing devices



Dec. 10, 1963 w. H. HILLS 3,113,368

FILAMENT SEVERING DEVICES Filed Nov. 17, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. WILL/4M H. HILLS 14M7 7 My.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,113,368 FILAMENT SEVERING DEVICES William H. Hills, Pensacola, Fla., assignor, by meme assignments, to Monsanto Chemical Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 17, 196i Ser. No. 70,044 6 Claims. (Cl. 28--64) This invention relates to filament severing devices, and more particularly to devices for automatically severing a filament when the filament becomes knotted and tangled or broken.

In the textile industry, it is of great importance that the integrity of each and every filament or thread line he maintained. A single de ective thread line incorporated into a finished fabric can make that fabric unusable because the defect will be visible. Thus, it is highly important that defective threadlines or yarns be detected and eliminated. It is well known that when a defect occurs in a thread or yarn, further advancement of that yarn through conventional machinery may well damage or ruin that portion of the threadline following the defect. It is also desirable in certain cases to halt the advance of the threadline or yarn when a defect occurs therein, in order to prevent damage to machinery. With these problems in mind, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel and improved device for severing a filament or threadline.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for automatically severing a filament in response to a signal.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device having a pair of scissors-like blades for automatically severing a filament when a fault is detected therein.

One of the embodiments of this invention contemplates an automatically operated filament-severing device having a first blade mounted on a frame and a second blade pivotally mounted on the first blade. A solenoid connected to the second blade is provided for actuating the blades to sever a. filament passing therebetween. In a second embodiment of the invention, a first blade is mounted on the frame and a second blade, pivotally attached to the first blade, is spring-loaded toward cooperation with the first blade. A solenoid is provided for actuating a locking bar to release the second blade when a defect is detected in the filament.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a device illustrating the principles of the invention with part of the housing cut away to show the general relationship of the various parts;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 showing the positioning of a pair of cutting blades;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of a second embodiment of the invention showing a spring-loaded blade in its cocked or loaded position; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 3 showing the relationship of the cutting blades.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a housing or frame 11 is shown supporting a pair of spaced guides '12 which are provided for guiding a filament or threadline 13 along a predetermined path past the housing or frame 11. Slots 14- and 15 in the housing 11 and the guides 12, respectively, are provided for insertion of the filament 13 into the guides.

A bolt 17 secured to the frame 11 extends through a spacer block 18 and a first blade 19 for securing the first blade to the frame 11. As can be seen in FIGURE 1, the first blade 19 is secured to the frame 11 near the midpoint of the first blade. The free or cutting end of the first blade 19 extends past the path of the filament 13 and 1s limited in its upper movement by a stop 20 which is secured to the frame '11. In operation, the blade 19 does not move. However, its position may be adjusted by loosening the bolt 17.

A second blade 23 is pivotally secured to the first blade 19 by a pin 24 at the end of the blades. The free end of the second blade 23 extends past the path of the filament 13 on the lower side thereof. The second blade is free to drop of its own weight into a normal position below the path of the filament 13.

A solenoid 26 attached to the frame or housing 11 is connected to the second blade 23 by a link 27 which is pinned to the solenoid plunger and to the second blade 23. It can be seen that energization of the solenoid 26 will raise the second blade 23 from its normal resting position into cooperation with the first blade 19 to sever the filament or yarn 13. The solenoid 26 is energized in response to a signal from some other part of the machinery or apparatus, indicating that a defect has been detected in the filament 13. One such apparatus for controlling the operation of a solenoid 26 is disclosed in copending application Serial No. 70,038, filed November 17, 1960, in the names of William H. Hills and Don E. Fisher for Yarn Crimping Apparatus. Since the blade 23 drops to its normal position (FIG. 1) when the solenoid is deenergized, no cocking or resetting of the device is necessary after the filament has been cut.

In a second embodiment of the invention, a housing or frame supports a pair of spaced guides 36 which are provided for directing a filament 37 along a predetermined path through the frame or housing 35. A bolt 40 extends through the frame or housing 35 and serves as a support for a first blade 41, which has a free cutting end extending past the filament on one side thereof. A bolt 42 serves to pivotally attach a second blade 46 to the first blade 41 near the midpoint of the blade 41. The blades 41 and 46, a steel spring 47, an arm 4-8 and a fil ament-holding blade 49 are all keyed together by the bolt 42. These assembled members are a commercially available unit, the operation of which is well known.

A spring 50 secured to the frame 35 and to a bar 51 welded to the arm 48 is provided for moving the filamentholding blade 49, the spring 47, the arm 48 and the second cutting blade 46. The filament-holding blade 49 is so positioned that it engages the filament 13 and pinches it against the dull side of the first blade 41 before the filament is cut by the cooperating blades 41 and 46. This insures that the filament will be under tension when out. The end of the bar 51 extends from the frame or housing 35 to serve as a handle for manually moving the second blade 46 into its cocked or loaded position.

The second blade 46 is held in its cocked or loaded position by a stop 53 on a locking bar 54 pivotally attached to the bolt 40. The stop 53 engages a tang 61 on the arm 48. A spring 55 secured between the frame 35 and the locking bar 54 urges the locking bar into engagement with a stop 56 secured to the frame 35. A solenoid 60 secured to the frame 35 is provided for pivoting the locking bar 54- counterclockwise to release the tang 61 on the upper end of the arm 48 from the stop 53, whereupon the spring 50 snaps the second blade 46 counterclockwise into cooperation with the first blade 41 to sever the filament as described above. A second stop 63 on the locking bar 54 is provided for engaging the tang 61 on the arm 48 to limit movement of the second blade.

In operation of the second embodiment of the device, the operator grasps the bar 51 and pivots the arm 48 and the elements keyed thereto clockwise until the tang 61 passes the stop 53. The stop 53 will now hold the second blade 46 in its cocked or loaded position until the solev) noid 60 is energized to pivot the locking bar 54 counterclockwise.

When the solenoid 60 is energized, the locking bar 54 is pivoted counterclockwise against the action of the spring 55 and releases the tang 61 from the stop 53, whereupon the spring 50 snaps the second blade 46, and the elements keyed thereto, in a counterclockwise direction into cooperation with the first blade 41 to sever the filament.

It is to be understood that the embodiment disclosed 7 between the blades, a solenoid mounted on the frame for operation in response to a signal, and a link interconnectfing the solenoid and the second blade for actuating said second blade to sever the filament when the solenoid is energized by the signal.

2. A device for automatically severing a filament in response to a signal, comprising a frame, a first blade attached near the midpoint thereof to the frame, said first blade being adjustable in position on said frame, a second blade pivoted at one end to one end of the first blade, a pair of guides mounted on the frame for directing the filamerit along a path between the blades, a solenoid mounted on the frame for operation in response to a signal, a link interconnecting the solenoid and the second blade for actuating said second blade to sever the filament when the solenoid is energized by the signal, and a stop mounted on the frame for holding the first blade in a predetermined position.

3. A device for automatically severing a filament in response to a signal, comprising a frame, a pair of spaced guides on the frame for directing the filament along a predetermined path, a first blade mounted on the frame and having a free end extending past said path on one side thereof, a second blade pivotally attached to the first blade and having a free end adapted to cooperate with the free end of the first blade, a spring attached to the second blade and the frame for urging said second blade toward cooperation with the first blade, a locking bar pivotally mounted on the frame and having a first stop for engaging the second blade to hold said second blade on the other side of the path against the action of the spring, and means on the frame for pivoting the locking bar to release the second blade, said locking bar having a second stop for limiting movement of the second blade.

4. A device for severing a filament, comprising a frame, a pair of spaced guides mounted on the frame for guiding the filament along a predetermined path, a first blade mounted on the frame on one side of said path, a second blade pivotally attached to the first blade, means connected between the second blade and the frame for urging said second blade toward said one side of the path into cooperation with the first blade, means for locking the second blade in a position on the other side of said path, means responsive to a signal for releasing the locking means, and a filament-holding blade keyed to the second blade for movement therewith, said filament-holding blade being adapted to engage and pinch the filament against a dull side of the first blade before the first blade reaches a cooperating position with the second blade.

5. A device for severing a filament, comprising a frame, a pair of spaced guides mounted on the frame for guiding the filament along a predetermined path, a first blade mounted on the frame on one side of the path, a second blade pivotally attached to the first blade and having thereon a tang, means connected to the second blade for urging said second blade from the other side of said path toward said one side of the path into cooperation with the first blade, a locking bar pivotally connected to the first blade and having thereon a pair of spaced stops for engaging the tang on the second blade, said second blade being held on said one side of said path when said tang is in engagement with one of the stops and on the other side of the path when the tang is in engagement with the other stop, and means for pivoting the locking bar to free the tang for movement from said other stop to said one stop.

6. A device for severing a filament, comprising a frame, a pair of spaced guides mounted on the frame for directing the filament along a predetermined path, a first blade mounted on the frame and having a free end positioned on one side of said path, said first blade being adjustably secured to the frame so that its position relative to the filament path can be adjusted, a second blade pivotally attached to the first blade and having a free end adapted to cooperate with the free end of said first blade to sever the filament, said second blade being free to drop and normally rest in a position on the other side of said path, and means connected to the second blade for moving said second blade from said other side of said path into cooperation with the first blade to sever the filament.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,293,688 Allen Aug. 18, 1942 2,563,814 Brink Aug. 14, 1951 2,585,541 De Mars Feb. 12, 1952 

1. A DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEVERING A FILAMENT IN RESPONSE TO A SIGNAL, COMPRISING A FRAME, A FIRST BLADE MOUNTED ON THE FRAME, SAID FIRST BLADE BEING ADJUSTABLE IN POSITION ON SAID FRAME, A SECOND BLADE PIVOTALLY ATTACHED AT ONE END TO THE FIRST BLADE, A PAIR OF SPACED GUIDES MOUNTED ON THE FRAME FOR GUIDING A FILAMENT ALONG A PATH BETWEEN THE BLADES, A SOLENOID MOUNTED ON THE FRAME FOR OPERATION IN RESPONSE TO A SIGNAL, AND A LINK INTERCONNECTING THE SOLENOID AND THE SECOND BLADE FOR ACTUATING SAID SECOND BLADE TO SEVER THE FILAMENT WHEN THE SOLENOID IS ENERGIZED BY THE SIGNAL. 